bazeley



March 8, 1932. A. J. BAZELEY CAR COUPLER 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 28, 1924 INVENTOR March 8, 1932. BAZELEY 1,848,689

ATTORNE'Y March 8, 1932. A. J. BAZELEY CAR COUPLER Filed Aug. 28, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet S INVENTOR ATroQNEY Patented Mar. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ASSIGNOB TO NATIONAL IALLBABLE AND OHIO, A OOBPOBATION 01' OHIO 0A3 OOUPLBB Application med s m aa. 1024. Serial Io. 1am.

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a cou ler embodying m invention with the parts in locked position; ig. 2 is a lan thereof; Fig. 3 is a section similar to i 1 but with the lifter raised to free it from t e anticreep rovisions; Fig. 4 is also a section similar to 1 but with the parts in lock-set position. igs. 5 and 6 are side and rear elevations reipectively, of the upper member of the lifter; 1g. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 5; Figs. 8 and 9 are side and rear elevations of the lower member of the lifter; and Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are sections on lines 1010, 11--11 and 12-12 respectively of Fig. 8.

My invention relates to car couplers, and particularly to the standard D-coupler type, and comprises so designin the lifter that it forms a positive lock-toock or anti-creep which I have found to be effective in all conditions of service. The parts of improved lifter are also arranged so as to limit the relative movements t ereof to an operative range. My invention also comprises the features which I shall hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown my invention applied to a standard D-coupler comprised of the coupler-head A, the knuckle B, the lock C and opener D. The lifter preferably consists of an upper or plug member 2 and a lower or lock engaging member 3. The member 3 has the usual horizontally disposed trunnions 4 which seat in the extensions of the inverted T-slot 5 in the rear upper portion of the lock C. Ofi'set rearwardly and above the trunnions 4, the member 3 has a vertically disposed surface 6 which in all operative positions of the lifter bears against the rear wall 7 of the coupler-head and thereby prevents the trunnions 4 from becoming disengaged from the slot 5 in the lock. The upper end of the member 3 has an elongated slot 8 for the pin 9 by which the members 2 and 3 are connected.

The member 2 has a forked or bifurcated lower end 10 for reception of the upper end of the member 3 between the downwardly extending forks or lugs. The aperture between the forks does not extend as high on the rear side of the member 2 as on the forward side in order to provide a surface 11 against which the upper end of the member 3 will come into contact and thereby limit the rearward movement of the lower member 3 relative to the upper. Also to prevent the member 2 from tipping too far to the rear in lock-set or knuckle thrown ition, the surface 12 on the lower end of t e member 2 is arranged to come into contact with the surface 13 on the member 3. The member 2 at its upper end is provided with the usual uncou ling rod attachment eye 14. To prevent t e upper in reversed position and thereb rendering the lock-to-the-lock inoperative, 0th the top hole 15 and the member 2 in cross section are wedge shaped. Also the rear portion 16 of the member 3 is so thickened adjacent the surface 6 that that portion cannot be inserted into the T-slot 5 of the look. It is therefore apparent the two parts of the lifter can only be assembled in the coupler head and connected to the lock in the correct relation. When the parts of the coupler are in locked position the forward up er portion of the member 3 lies beneath t e top wall 17 of the coupler head forward of the lifter hole 15, as is shown in Fig. 1. If the lock attempts to creep up out of locked position, it will therefore carry the member 3 up against the top wall 17. The member 3 while in locked position cannot move rearwardl so as to clear the wall 17 because any suc rearward movement is prevented by the surface 11 on the upper member 2. As is also shown in Fig. 1, the member 2 when in locked position drops down so that the pin 9 rests in the bottom of the slot 8 and in this osition is not free to rotate in a forward irection about the pin 9 because of the engagement of the surface 11 with the upper end of the member 3, and the member 2 cannot rotate rearwardly relative to the member 3 because of its contact with the rear edge of the top hole 15. It is therefore apparent that the upper member 2 will effectually prevent the lower member 3 from assuming a position in which it would be free to rise through the top hole and thereby permit the lock C to move out of locked position.

member 2 from being inserted When the member 2 i raised by the uncoupling mechanism th. pin 9 slides up in the slot 8 and, as the surface 11 is raised above the upper end of the member 3, the pin will draw the upper end of that member rearwardly from beneath the top wall 17 of the coupler head into a position in ali ment with the top hole as is shown in 3. Then as the member 2 is further lifte the upper portion of the member 3 is drawn throu h the top hole 15 and the lock is raised to loc t osition, as is shown in Fig. 4, or to knuc e thrown position.

M invention is particularly useful with couplers subjected to excessive vibration such as is apt to occur on trains o erated at hi h speeds, or over rough road ds and un er conditions in which the lock lift is apt to be jarred into positions not normally occupied in ordirary service.

The terms and expressions which I have em loyed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any mechanical uivalents of the features shown and descri d, or portions thereof, but recognize that various structural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a car cou ler of the standard D type, a lock having a -slot therein, a lifter comprised of two ivoted members, one of which engages the said T-slot and the other of which extends through the top hole of the coupler head and has provision for being actuated by uncoupling mechanism, the first member when the parts are in locked position extending forward under the top wall of the coupler head and means comprising a hear ing on the second member engageable with the first member for preventing the first member from moving out from beneath the said top wall, said first member also havin a bearin upon said coupler head rearwar of said loci to maintain said first member in position beneath said top wall.

2. In a car coupler of the standard D type, a lock having a -slot therein, a lifter comprised of two pivoted telescopingrmembers, one of which engages the said -slot and the other of which extends through the top hole of the coupler head and has provision for being actuated by uncoupling mechanism, the first'member when the parts are in locked position extending forward under the top wall of the coupler head and the second member having a bearing on the first member to prevent the first member from moving out froi... beneath the said top wall, and the lower member also having a bearing on the coupler head to revent disengagement from said lock, sai bearing being positioned above the connection between said first member and said lock to thereby urge sat-r1 first member to a position beneath said top wall in response to the action of gravity upon said first member.

3. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a lock for said knuckle, of means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said means being ada ted when in locked position to revent accidhntal unlocking of said lock an involving a plurality of movably connected members one of which is formed with a shoulder normally standin in overlapping relation to the u per wal of said coupler head when said lock and its actuating means are in locked relation, and one of which has at its lower end a bearin a ainst the coupler head to the rear of the oc and means comp-ising a rotatable and slidable connection tween the last mentioned one of said members and said lock for enabling the lower end of said member to be maintained in engagement with the coupler head to the rear of the lock and to thereby hold the first named means in osition to prevent accidental unlocking 0 said lock.

4. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, a knuckle opener, and a vertically sliding and rearwardly swinging lock for said knuckle adapted to actuate said knuckle opener, of means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said lock being provided with an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot adapted to receive said means, said means involvineg upper and lower member jointedly connect so as to be capable of rotation with respect to each other and to said lock, said lower member being provided with trunnions received by said slot and cooperating with said lock to operatively connect said lock and said means and having a portion adapted to engage said head to prevent accidental unloc ing of said lock, said up er member extending upwardly through said coupler head and said upper and lower members and said lower. member and coupler head being provided with cooperating means for preventing said 1:[oint from breakin rearward y.

5. n a carcou ler o the standard D type, a lock having a -slot therein, a lifter comprised of two members, one of said members aving a slidin and a rotatable connection with the slot 0 said lock and extending upwardl and forwardly therefrom, the other of said members being rotatably connected to said first named member and extending upwardly and rearwardl therefrom and through an opening in t e top wall of said coupler; one of said members standing in overlapping relation to said top wall forward of said opening when the parts are in locked position, and being maintained in said overapping relation by an enga ement between one of said members and saic? top wall at the rear of said opening.

6. In a car coupler, the combinationwith a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a lock for said knuckle, of means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said means being ada ted when in locked position to prevent acci ental unlocking of said lock and involving a plurality of movably connected members one of which bears against said coupler head to the rear of said lock and is slidably connected to said lock to maintain said bearing against the coupler head and one of which stands in overlapping relation to the upper wall of said coupler head when said lock and its actuating means are in locked relation.

7. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a lock for said knuckle, of a plurality of movably connected members each adapted to operatively engage said head to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, said lock being locked against unlocking movement until each of said movably connected members is released from said operative engagement with the coupler head.

8. A car coupler having a head, a pivoted knuckle, a lock for the knuckle, a knuckle opener lever, and means for actuating the lock to cause it to perform an unlocking movement, said lock being adapted to move upwardly to release the knuckle and thereafter to execute a swing movement so as to actuate said lever, said means being connected to said lock and involving upper and lower movably connected members, one of said members being adapted to engage the coupler head to prevent accidental unlocking of the lock, and the lower of said members being slidably and rotatably movable with respect to the lock, and being adapted to engage the coupler head to support said lock actuating means in locked relation.

9. A car coupler of the D type having a head, a pivoted knuckle, a knuckle opening lever, a lock having an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot therein, and a lock lifter for actuating the lock to cause it to perform an unlocking movement, said lock being adapted to move upwardly to release the knuckle and thereafter to execute a swinging movement so as to actuate said lever, and said lifter being comprised of upper and lower members, the lower member extending into said slot and being rotatable with respect to the lock and extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom, the said upper member being rotatably connected to said lower member and extending upwardly and rearwardly therefrom and through an opening in the top wall of the coupler head, and one of said members standing in over-lapping relation to the top wall of the coupler head forwardly of said opening when the parts are in locked position.

10. A car coupler having a head, a pivoted slot for receiving the lower end of said lifter,

said lock and lifter being detachably connected so as to permit them to be assembled and disassembled by a relative sliding movement, the saidlifter being comprised of movably connected u per and .lower members, F 5

one of said mem ers being rotatably connected to the other and normally extending under a shoulder on thecoup'ler head to prevent the lock from accidentally moving to unlocked position, and said last named memher being sustained in operative relation to said shoulder by the engagement of said lower member with the coupler head.

11. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a rotatable knuckle having a tail, a knuckle opening lever, a locking block for said knuckle, said block when the coupler is locked standing in front of the knuckle tail and said block having an initial vertical unlocking movement and a final rearward tilting movement to throw the opening lever to actuate the knuckle, and means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said means being adapted when in locked position to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock and involving a plurality of movably connected members one of which is slidably and rotatably connected to said lock and one of which is formed with a shoulder which normally stands in overlapping relation to the u per wall of said coupler head when said Ice and its actuating means are in locked relation.

12. A car coupler having a head, a pivoted knuckle, a lock for the knuckle, a knuckle opener lever, and means for actuating the lock to cause it to erform an unlocking movement, said lock being adapted to move upwardly to release the knuckle and thereafter to execute a swinging movement so as to actuate said lever, said means being adapted when in locked osition to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock and involving a plurality of movably connected members one of which is formed with a shoulder normally standing in overlapping relation to the upper wall of said coupler head when said lock and its actuating means are in locked relation, and one of which is rotatably connected to said lock and is slidable with respect to the latter so as to permit its lower end to bear against the coupler head to the rear of the lock and thereby hold the said means in position to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock.

13. In a car coupler, a lock, a lifter comprising two members connected together by a pin-and-slot connection so as to be relatively collapsible both longitudinally and laterally, a connection between the lower one ARTHUR J. AZELEY.

DISCLAIMER 1,848,689.--A11hur J. Bazeley, Cleveland, Ohio. CAR COUPLER. Patent dated March 8, 1932. Disclaimer filed August 22, 1933, by the assignee, National Malleable and Steel Castings Company.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to the combination set forth by claim 7, except where one of the movably connected members is in engagement with the lock and the other of said members extends through an opening in the coupler head and is connected to the first-named member for transmitting a force therethrough to the lock for liftin the letter.

[Qflic'ial zette September 19, 1938.]

ARTHUR J. AZELEY.

DISCLAIMER 1,848,689.--A11hur J. Bazeley, Cleveland, Ohio. CAR COUPLER. Patent dated March 8, 1932. Disclaimer filed August 22, 1933, by the assignee, National Malleable and Steel Castings Company.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to the combination set forth by claim 7, except where one of the movably connected members is in engagement with the lock and the other of said members extends through an opening in the coupler head and is connected to the first-named member for transmitting a force therethrough to the lock for liftin the letter.

[Qflic'ial zette September 19, 1938.] 

